More than 1 million ballots cast in NC since early voting began

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — More than 1 million voters have already cast their ballots in North Carolina’s 2024 general election as of 4 p.m. Sunday, according to preliminary data from the State Board of Elections.

The total turnout so far stands at 1,008,123, with the majority of votes coming from in-person early voting. According to the State Board, 916,433 voters have voted in person, while 77,831 absentee ballots were submitted by civilians, 11,168 by overseas voters, and 2,691 by military personnel.

This total represents approximately 13% of North Carolina’s nearly 7.8 million registered voters. The State Board notes that the numbers may be slightly lower than the actual turnout, due to a lag in county boards of elections updating the data.

“My sincerest thanks goes out to the county boards of elections and the thousands of election workers around the state who are making this happen,” Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections, said in a statement. “It has been an incredibly busy few days. Please thank those in your community who are making sure your vote counts.”

Early voting turnout has also increased compared to 2020. By Saturday, nearly 863,000 voters had cast ballots during the first three days of in-person voting, a 2.4% rise from the same period in 2020. The 2020 election saw higher absentee voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early voting continues through Saturday, November 2, with sites and schedules varying by county.